With/In
The Sacristy Gallery
May 26, 2023 to July 8, 2023
Mary Porterfield’s drawings reflect her mother’s struggle to care for her father who had Parkinsonism and was homebound. The life-sized images, which are cut out and attached to the wall, represent the mounting difficulties Porterfield’s parents faced, made worse by the pandemic. She overlaps translucent layers to signify her father’s gradual evanescence before his passing, using the vastness of the wall to represent her mother’s perseverance, hardship and love. Although Porterfield’s father is no longer alive, the assistive devices remain as witnesses to the weight her mother bore, both physically and metaphorically. She continues to embrace the memories of what was while acknowledging the impermanence of what is. In sharing her parent’s story in the exhibition With/In, she hopes to elevate those who have had such an impact on our past, while making visible those who assist in their care.
With/In
The Sacristy Gallery
May 26, 2023 to July 8, 2023
Mary Porterfield’s drawings reflect her mother’s struggle to care for her father who had Parkinsonism and was homebound. The life-sized images, which are cut out and attached to the wall, represent the mounting difficulties Porterfield’s parents faced, made worse by the pandemic. She overlaps translucent layers to signify her father’s gradual evanescence before his passing, using the vastness of the wall to represent her mother’s perseverance, hardship and love. Although Porterfield’s father is no longer alive, the assistive devices remain as witnesses to the weight her mother bore, both physically and metaphorically. She continues to embrace the memories of what was while acknowledging the impermanence of what is. In sharing her parent’s story in the exhibition With/In, she hopes to elevate those who have had such an impact on our past, while making visible those who assist in their care.
Mary Porterfield’s work is influenced by her career as occupational therapist and her interaction with patients and their caregivers, including her mother’s role as caregiver to her disabled father. In painting on semi-transparent papers, she progressively layers her images to address the recurring struggles in healthcare that are outwardly hidden. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally at venues including the Lim Lip Museum in South Korea, the Phoenix Art Museum, the San Diego Art Institute, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, the Kohler Arts Center, the Dubuque Art Museum, the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, the Rockford Art Museum, the Figge Art Museum, and the Weatherspoon Museum. Solo shows have included the Hofheimer Gallery (Chicago, IL), the Packer-Schopf Gallery (Chicago, IL), Indiana University-NW (Gary, IN), the University of Illinois (Urbana, IL) and the West Valley Art Museum (Surprise, IL). Honors include three Illinois Artist Council Grants, a City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Grant (DCASE), a Puffin Foundation Grant, and three Chicago Community Arts Assistance Program Grants. Porterfield teaches at Northeastern Illinois University and received an MFA from Arizona State University.
Mary Porterfield’s work is influenced by her career as occupational therapist and her interaction with patients and their caregivers, including her mother’s role as caregiver to her disabled father. In painting on semi-transparent papers, she progressively layers her images to address the recurring struggles in healthcare that are outwardly hidden. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally at venues including the Lim Lip Museum in South Korea, the Phoenix Art Museum, the San Diego Art Institute, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, the Kohler Arts Center, the Dubuque Art Museum, the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, the Rockford Art Museum, the Figge Art Museum, and the Weatherspoon Museum. Solo shows have included the Hofheimer Gallery (Chicago, IL), the Packer-Schopf Gallery (Chicago, IL), Indiana University-NW (Gary, IN), the University of Illinois (Urbana, IL) and the West Valley Art Museum (Surprise, IL). Honors include three Illinois Artist Council Grants, a City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Grant (DCASE), a Puffin Foundation Grant, and three Chicago Community Arts Assistance Program Grants. Porterfield teaches at Northeastern Illinois University and received an MFA from Arizona State University.
